From Peri, with Love
by TimeAsunderQ
Summary: 6thDocPeri fic, a character piece set between Timelash and Revelation of the Daleks. An important anniversary rolls around. How does Peri feel about her time with the Doctor?


Author's Note: This is set between Timelash and Revelation of the Daleks. Personally, I like Peri. I like her dynamic with the sixth doctor. Rated G for feel-good randomness.

From Peri, with Love

Somewhere, out there, suspended in time and space, lay a TARDIS piloted by the Time Lord known as the Doctor. Currently in his sixth incarnation, the Doctor enjoyed spending his time looking for great places in the galaxy to fish and nap.

This day was like any other. He woke up, dressed in his usual costume (as Peri had deemed his flagrantly colorful clothing) and began his morning walk around the endless white halls.

A few days ago, the Doctor and Peri had dropped off Herbert (H.G. Wells) back in Scotland in his proper time. For once he had piloted the TARDIS correctly, arriving only shortly after he left the first time, minimizing the temporal gap he would experience. They had to return him; after all, Herbert had an important book to write loosely based on his adventures!

Hands in his pockets, the Doctor approached the console room, the lights still dim from the night cycle. While he didn't require the artificial night, he found it helped his companions deal with their standings in time and space. Without it, their circadian rhythms fell out of sync and they quickly became disoriented or worse, stopped sleeping at all.

The Doctor never found this a problem.

Inside the console room, the Time Lord circled the hexagonal console, running his fingers over it appreciatively. "Good morning old girl... Another day, another trip, another travel my friend." To him, the TARDIS was a live being, a woman he reckoned by its finicky nature.

The time rotor rested in the center of the console, immobile, proving that the time craft was not in motion. Looking up at the crystalline control rod, the Doctor noticed something odd.

A single white envelope sat in the middle of the time rotor. Confused, he snatched it up and read the cover. Seeing "To: The Doctor," he tore it open, hastily removing its contents. Multiple small white pages unfolded from within and he began reading.

"Dear Doctor,

I know you're wondering what this is, this letter. It's a confession of sorts. Did you know that we've been traveling together for exactly a year now? Our adventures, as I see them, have taken us far and wide. I've been assaulted by Cybermen, painfully turned into a birdwoman, threatened by both the Rani and the Master, met your previous self and your previous self's companion, then almost got turned into a meal for those Androgums. I've seen it all and done it all.

As much as I complain about your choice of vacation spots, know that I really am not upset. I like giving you a hard time. You're a challenge, Doctor. You're also an enigma (wrapped in a paradox, etc etc). As much as I feel like I know you, you still manage to shock me. You nearly strangled me in a fit of rage I'd never like to see again... (_that_ gave me nightmares) But then on Varos you treated me so kindly, with such tenderness that I'd never experienced before. Howard... Well Howard has never been so nice to me. So. Back to the point. While I may seem to be whining, I only do it to get a rise out of you. I really don't want to go back.

You know that I'm majoring in botany. Everywhere I go I pick up a bit of the native flora. I've got quite a collection now... I just don't know what I'll do with it all. I don't know why I'm collecting these leaves and blooms. While they are fascinating to me, they don't serve a purpose. If you'll have me... that is, if you'd let me, I'll stay forever. You and this TARDIS offer me the chance of a lifetime, a learning opportunity that never ends. Despite what you may think of me, I _have_ learned a lot in my year with you.

Let's see... what have I learned... I've learned that pain and suffering are universal. No matter how long or short your life span, it's ever-present. But! It can be fought. And that's what we're doing, you and I. Our adventures, they help people. People who've never had a champion have the Doctor. You swoop in and... well, save the day.

I've learned that life and death coexist peacefully. There's a balance which we must observe and respect. We can't save everyone, and I don't have a heart big enough to mourn for all those we lose. From this point forward I can merely hope to celebrate those I still have.

I've learned that my life is more than what I do and don't have. It's where I've been and what I've seen. That starburst in the Eye of Orion two days ago was easily the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced. You were exactly right, it _was_ a timeless royal blue backdrop, and the moonset was indescribable. I couldn't decide if I wanted to laugh or cry when the sky lit up like that, so I did both. And you sat right there next to me, sharing the time with me. Thank you for that moment of joy and beauty.

In fact, thank you for everything. Thank you for waking me up, breaking my shell, and giving me the wings to fly.

Thank you for a wondrous year.

Cheers to many more.

From Peri, with Love."

Single teardrops rolled down the Doctor's cheeks, leaving stinging trails of heat. No other companion had ever expressed themselves quite like Peri had, putting it down so brazenly in ink. While several companions had told him they valued their time there, none had ever been so bold to leave written evidence of their appreciation.

"From Peri, with Love," he repeated aloud, reverently folding the white papers and placing them back in their envelope. The Doctor dried his eyes with his garish handkerchief and tucked it back in his coat.

He gently slid the envelope into an inner coat pocket and there it stayed, forever.

THE END


End file.
